Wig block support



June 10, 1969 M. FRIEDMAN 2 WIG BLOCK SUPPORT I Filed May 31'. 196

FIG.

INVENTOR MORRIS FRIEDMAN ATTORNEY.

United States Patent-O 3,448,957 WIG BLOCK SUPPORT Morris Friedman, FortLee, N.J., assignor to Master Appliances, Inc., Marion, Ind., acorporation of Illinois Filed May 31, 1967, Ser. No. 642,441 Int. Cl.A45d 44/14 US. Cl. 248-226 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wigform support permitting selective positioning and orientation of a wigform on a dressing table or the like to implement combing and dressingof a wig, said support having a C-clamp selectively attachable to adesired table surface with a wig formengaging post Background of theinvention With the widespread use of wigs, such as is currently invogue, the need has arisen to provide means implementing themaintenance, cleaning, combing, dressing and like treatment of thesewigs. This is generally accomplished by the utilization of a wigsupporting form or wig block contoured in the shape of a head, andadapted to support a wig in a position facilitating its being shaped.Since in manipulating the hair, as in combing or the like, it isnecessary to support the form to prevent its slippage, the wig blockshave been either weighted or clamped to a table surface in some fashion.

In the prior art, such as shown by the US. patent to Eickhoff, 3,288,415clamping structures have been shown implementing the securement of thewig form block to a drawer front or the like. Such prior clampingstructures, though serving to securely maintain the wig block inposition, have presented difliculties in that they do not permit thedesired turning or angling of the wig block such as is desirable whenattempting to permit the hair to fall loosely from the wig block or toprovide access to the different parts of the wig without excessivemovement on the part of the hairdresser.

Summary of the invention It is with the above considerations in mindthat the herein disclosed wig block support has been evolved permittingthe selective securement and orientation of a wig block in any desiredposition with respect to a table surface or the like, and furtherpermitting rapid reorientation of the wig block as desired duringdressing of the wig.

It is, accordingly, among the primary objects of this invention toprovide means for rapidly securing and maintaining a wig block or thelike in any desired orientation, and to further permit a rapid change oforientation during the hairdressing procedure.

A further object of the invention is to provide wig block securing meansrequiring minimal manipulation on the part of the user to efiect desiredsecurement and orientation of the Wig block.

Another object of the invention is to provide wig block securing meanssimple in fabrication and use, in which minimal manual manipulation onthe part of the user is required to effect desired positioning of thewig block.

These and other objects of the invention, which will 3,448,957 PatentedJune 10, 1969 become hereafter apparent, are achieved by providing a wigblock support having a clamping member in the form of a C-clamp adaptedfor selective securement to a table surface or the like. The C-clamp isformed with a threaded opening in the lower leg of the C-member formingthe clamp through which a manually manipulable screw member, such as athumb screw or the like, is extended for engagement with the lowersurface of a table or the like. The upper leg of the C-clamp is formedwith a socket accommodating a journal in the form of a ball or the like.A friction pad is arranged within the socket to bear against the journaland retain the journal in fixed position when sufiicient pressure isapplied to the friction pad. Extending from the ball shaped journal is afluted post member adaptedfor insertion into amating receptable in thebase of the wig block. In use, simply by manipulating the thumb screw,the clamp maybe selectively secured at any point on a table, and thepost swiveled about its journal in the C-clamp socket to obtain desiredorientation of the wig block to facilitate dressing.

' A feature of the invention resides in the fact that the thumb screwserves to provide both securement of the Brief description of thedrawing The specific details of a preferred embodiment of the invention,and their mode of functioning will be particularly pointed out in clear,concise, and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the supporting structure illustratingits use in conjunction with a wig block and showing some of theselective positions to which the wig block may be moved as desired;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view looking down at the supporting structure ofFIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be employedto designate like parts.

As seen in the drawings, the novel supporting structure 10 is formed bymeans of a clamping member in the form of a C-clamp having a bodyportion 11, which as shown in use in FIGS. 1 and 3, extends in avertical direction. A lower leg 12, and an upper leg 14 extend from thebody portion 11 to form the C element of the clamp.

Lower leg 12 of the C element is formed with a rounded portion 16 of acylindrical configuration, and extending along the axis of thiscylindrical portion 16 through the leg 12 is an internally threadedbushing insert 18, preferably formed with a splined exterior surface 19,as best seen in FIG. 3 to provide for secure engage- 'ment between theinsert 18 and the cylindrical portion 16 of the C element.

The upper leg 14 of the C element is formed with a socket enclosingportion 20, which as best seen in FIG. 2, is of circular cross-section.It will be noted that the lower end of the socket enclosing portion issignificantly larger than the cross section of cylindrical portion 16 oflower leg 12, for a purpose to be made hereinafter more apparent.

Extending through the threaded bushing insert 18 is a screw 24 engagingthe internal threads of bushing 18. At the upper end of screw 24 ispressure plate 26, which as seen in FIG. 3 is preferably of a dishedconfiguration and'which is' rotatably mounted with respect to the screw,preferably by peening over the upper end 27 of the screw 24, as seen inFIG. 3. As a result of the free rotation between the pressure plate andthe screw, rotation of the screw is not necessarily imparted to thepressure plate. The lower end of the screw 24 is formed with a fingergrip 28, preferably by forming a loop, as shown.

The socket confining portion of upper leg 14 of the C element enclosessocket 30, of a contour as best seen in FIG. 3. The socket 30 extendsfrom an upper opening 32 to a relatively larger lower opening 34. Thesidewalls of the socket 30, as best seen in FIG. 3, are contoured toprovide a truncated conical portion 36 with linearly extendingsidewalls, and an arcuately contoured upper portion 38. The arcuatelycontoured portions 38 of the socket 30 provide a bearing, while thelinear portions 36 form a seat for friction pad 40.

Friction pad 40 is formed of a resilient friction material such asrubber, neoprene, or any one of a wide variety of synthetics. Thefriction pad 40 is formed with sidewalls tapered to lie along theconical linearly extending sidewalls of socket 30, and dimensioned toextend slightly beneath the bottom of the plane of the lower surface ofleg 14 of the C member. A journal seat 44 is formed at the upper surfaceof the friction pad 40. This journal seat 44 is preferably contoured toaccommodate a journal 46.

Journal 46 is dimensioned to fit Within the journal seat 44 of thefriction pad 40, and to bear against bearing surfaces 38 of socket 30.This journal 46, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, isformed of a spherical contour having a diameter greater than thediameter of opening 32 in the socket 30, but less than the diameter ofthe lower opening 34 of the socket 30, so as to pass freelytherethrough.

Extending from journal 46 through the socket opening 32 is a wig blockengaging post 48 having fluting 50 extending therefrom. The post 48 andfluting 50 are tapered, as best seen in FIG. 1 to facilitate insertioninto an opening in the bottom of the wig block B, as shown in FIG. 1.

Operation In use, the aforedescribed supporting structure 10 may beemployed for selectively supporting a variety of members in aselectively adjustable position on a table surface or the like. As heredisclosed, the invention is employed in connection with wig blocks suchas are used for the dressing and care of wigs.

Where the wig is to be dressed, it is desirable to be able to turn thewig block to provide access to different portions of the wig while theoperator is seated at a table with minimal movement on the part of theoperator. It is similarly desirable to be able to angle the block intovarious positions so as to permit the hair either to lie against the wigblock or to hang freely therefrom.

To this end, by the utilization of the instant wig block supportingmember as shown, desired orientation may readily be obtained. Thus, thepost 48 is inserted into a base opening such as is conventionallyprovided in wig blocks, and by exerting pressure, the tapered postfrictionally engages the wig block. Thereafter, securement of the wigblock in desired position on a table surface is accomplished by turningscrew 24 to bring pressure plate up against the bottom of the tablesurface. Before completing tightening of screw 24, the post 48 isadjusted to desired angular orientation, and thereafter screw 24 isfurther tightened. It will be observed that the tightening of the screw24 serves the two-fold function of permitting the clamp to engage thetable surface, and at the same time serves to bring the friction pad 40up against the bottom of the journal 46, thus limiting the movement ofthe journal.

Initial clamping action serving to secure the clamp with respect to thetable is obtained before the clamping action required to secure the postin desired angular orientation is obtained.

It will further be observed that by virtue of the relatively greatcross-sectional dimension of the friction pad with respect to thepressure plate, instability of the post is minimized since the pressureplate exerts a force fulcrumed at the center of the friction pad thusproviding a simple lever effect. Additionally, the friction pad 40serves to cushion the C-clamp with respect to the table surface.

It is thus seen that a simple support member has been provided for wigblocks or the like permitting a simple screwing action to be employed toeffect securement of the wig block in desired position on a table, andsimultaneously permit selective angular orientation of the wig blockwith respect to the table surface.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration andelucidation, and not by way of limitation, and it is desired to protectall embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept.

I claim:

1. A selectively adjustable support for a wig block or the likepermitting selective positioning of a wig-supporting block in a desiredorientation to facilitate care and maintenance of the wig, said supportcomprising: a clamping member selectively engageable with a tablesurface; a socket in said clamping member; a post member having one endin said socket and extending therefrom through said clamp; a frictionpad in said socket engaging said post member said friction pad extendingout of said socket for engagement with said support surface; and meansfor simultaneously affixing said clamping member with respect to asupporting surface, and said post member with respect to the clamp.

2. A support for a wig block or the like, as in claim 1, in which saidclamping member comprises a C-element having a body portion and twospaced leg portions separated by a distance greater than that at thetable surface to which the support is to be attached.

3. A support for a wig block or the like, as in claim 1, in which saidpost member is formed with a joint journal and said socket is formedwith a bearing accommodating said journal.

4. A support for a wig block or the like, as in claim 2, in which saidmeans for simultaneously affixing said clamping member and said postmember comprise: a screw extending through one of the leg portions ofsaid C-element.

5. A support for a wig block or the like, as in claim 3, in which saidjournal is of a spherical contour and said friction pad is formed of aresilient material having a spherically contoured seat for said journal.

6. A support for a Wig block or the like, as in claim 4, in which saidfriction pad is of a resilient material and extends out of said sockettoward said one leg portion of said C-element.

7. A support for a wig block or the like, as in claim 6, having apressure plate on said screw adapted to engage the lower surface of thetable to which the support is to be atfixed.

8. A support for a wig block or the like, as in claim 7, in which saidpressure plate is smaller in area than the surface of the portion ofsaid friction pad extending out of said socket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,268,096 6/1918 Crandall 248226X 1,780,383 11/1930 Green 248181 1,785,518 12/1930 Higgins 248226 X1,934,223 11/1933 Booth. 3,198,408 8/1965 Benner 223-66 3,288,41511/1966 Eickhoff 248226 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

